


Gender Immaterial

by Tarlan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Community: mcsheplets, DADT Repeal, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-21
Updated: 2014-09-21
Packaged: 2018-02-18 06:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2337986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes seeing an openly gay marine on Atlantis for all the clues to slot into place for Rodney.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gender Immaterial

**Author's Note:**

> Written for **mcsheplets** 184: Spontaneous

"People don't just spontaneously combust, Rodney."

"Exploding tumors?" Rodney stated back airily, trying to make the point, even though the memory of that terrible Sunday still featured in his nightmares despite having Clone!Carson back on Atlantis as its CMO.

"Exactly," John pointed at him, leaving Rodney even more confused.

"What?"

"The exploding tumors were the result of exposure to an Ancient device, so maybe something similar happened to Doctor Theopolis."

"Admittedly the circumstances were unusual but Theopolis had been nowhere near any unsanctioned Ancient technology."

"That you know of." John gave him that tilt of his head and smug expression perfected solely to torment him, or so Rodney believed.

Rodney rolled his eyes, forced to admit that most scientists were inquisitive... and stupid.

Hours after they had tracked down Theopolis's movements and discovered that he had indeed been messing around in parts of the city that had yet to be secured, Rodney sank down at a table in the mess. They had discovered yet another Ancient device that was meant to weaponize humans in case they were snatched up by the Wraith. This one burned the body up from the inside but the addition of the Wraith feeding enzyme would have turned the person into a bomb that could take out a hive ship. Despite the tragedy, which really was Theopolis's own fault for meddling in things without following safety procedures, Rodney had an idea on how they could use those explosive properties in a far more humane way.

He sighed as he breathed in the aroma of fresh coffee, letting his thoughts drift away from his work and back to the playful, smug grin and manic eyebrows that John had inflicted upon him. From anyone else, Rodney might have taken it as flirting with him.

Until yesterday he hadn't realized exactly how much he had missed that playful side of John; it always managed to distract him, derailing his thoughts from sinking too far into paranoia, and enabling him to start thinking more clearly again. Jennifer had never provided the same distraction. Her rebukes had always made him feel inadequate and small.

Surprisingly, he didn't miss Jennifer as much as he thought he would, but then their relationship had been floundering for some time before the final break up. She was dating some xenobiologist now and seemed really happy, and once he had gotten over the sour feelings from knowing she had moved on without him, he'd found himself feeling happy for her.

Of course John had pointed out that the sourness had come from seeing her happy while he was once more alone. Admittedly, his dating history was abysmal, but John's was worse with just a broken marriage behind him. Despite his flyboy image, the handsome face, lean but muscular body, full head of hair and deceptively high intelligence, John had not enjoyed a single serious relationship since they stepped through the Stargate onto Atlantis seven years earlier. If anything, he'd always seemed uncomfortable around most women, though it hadn't stopped him from chasing them, especially if they showed even the slightest interest in Rodney, but it never seemed to last beyond a single night.

At least Rodney could name two serious relationships - Katie and Jennifer.

As he sipped at his coffee, he wondered why John had never made a play for either of them. Katie he could understand because even he didn't realize he was dating her until someone else pointed it out, but Jennifer was different. Of course, Ronon had also been interested in Jennifer at the time so perhaps John hadn't liked the competition.

A soldier and one of Radek's engineers came in together and sat at a table almost directly in Rodney's line of sight. He didn't exactly pay any attention to them as he'd never been that interested in social interactions, and only slowly became aware that they were holding hands. Except they were both men. He blinked a few times but the image didn't change, which wasn't a problem as a blow job was a blow job as far as he was concerned. Gender immaterial, but the soldier was definitely wearing the U.S. flag on his shoulder patch, but wasn't there some stupid, homophobic rule or regulation against gays in the U.S. military?

His view was blocked off when John slid into the seat in front of him, one eyebrow already rising. He made to look over his shoulder, and Rodney had an insane desire to protect the two men at the other table. John wasn't homophobic but despite his tendency to 'walk the fine line' where some regulations were concerned, he was by-the-book in other regards.

"So spontaneous human combustion is a possibility after all," Rodney breezed airily, waving a hand to distract John.

"Not exactly spontaneous. It did take a week for the chemical changes to take place."

"Yes. True." 

His eyes flicked back to the couple without conscious volition, and he cursed his nervous disposition when John started to look over his shoulder to see what had caught Rodney's eye.

"I have an idea," Rodney blurted out to gain John's attention. A raised eyebrow added to the expectant look he gained from his outburst and Rodney almost panicked until he realized he had a valid idea he could share that might interest John. "About a bomb."

The couple laughed and Rodney tried to hide his surprise when the two men leaned in to kiss softly, just the way he and Jennifer used to when they were a couple in the first throes of romance. His expression must have given something away but this time Rodney wasn't quick enough to stop John from glancing around and seeing the two men.

Rodney had expected some reaction but John's smile and eyes were wistful rather than hard when he turned back.

"Um, so that's... not a problem for you?"

"Sergeant Renshaw and Doctor Haine? No. DADT was repealed a while back."

"It was?"

Both eyebrows rose. "Do you ever read any of your emails?"

Rodney grimaced and waved a hand almost imperially. "I'm sure if there was something of great importance, you would tell me soon enough."

A speculative yet vulnerable look came over John but before John could say anything, something clicked in the back of Rodney's mind and he snapped his fingers, before pointing them at John accusingly.

"You're gay! Or at least bi."

John's eyes widened. "Rodney!" He whispered harshly, glancing around to check if Rodney's words had carried, but he didn't deny it.

Events spread across the years suddenly made sense.

"You were cock-blocking me!"

"What!?"

He pointed at John. "You... You..." Annoyance dissolved away with realization. "You wanted me. I'm your one serious relationship in seven years."

He sobered as he recognized the rapidly closing expression on John's face. Any moment now, John would walk away but now Rodney's mind was spinning over all the possibilities, and rushing through memories. John was the one person he always turned to - angry or content, happy or sad, frightened or supremely confident. They shared meals, played games, watched the movies together and argued happily over the merits of one comic character over another for hours.

Rodney reached out and grabbed John's hand, gripping tighter when John made a half-hearted attempt to pull free.

"The answer's yes."

"I haven't asked a question," John protested feebly, but when Rodney leaned across the table and pressed his lips to John's, it took barely a second before John was kissing him back.

END  
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